A Revolution of Ideas

NewFarm: Exploring the World of AgroInnovation

We’ve come a long way in the farming process. With a mix of new technology, innovative thinking, and a collaborative community the New Farm is plowing a new path in providing fresh, healthy, and local alternatives to a growing Upstate.

We will finish the event with an interactive idea session to share your thoughts on growing sustainable agriculture in the upstate.

A choice of beer flight and craft beer and food will be provided.

More about our Speakers…

Brad Thomas, South Carolina Attorneys at Law

William Bradley Thomas (Brad) is the principal, founder, and supervising attorney of South Carolina Attorneys at Law, LLC and focuses his legal practice on counseling businesses and individuals in the areas of alcohol law, business law, economic development, estate planning, legal research, and documents review in South Carolina. Mr. Thomas is a cofounder and serves as the in house legal counsel for Carolina Bauernhaus Ales, South Carolina’s first farmhouse brewery, and also serves as a member of the House of Delegates of the South Carolina Bar Association. In addition to his legal expertise, Mr. Thomas has conducted onsite audit and financial analysis, and implemented risk methodologies on over $5 Billion dollars’ worth of domestic and international secured consumer and commercial credit transactions in a variety of industries for the following financial institutions: Bank of America, Citicorp, Comerica, Congress Financial, FINOVA, GE Capital, GMAC Commercial Finance, JP Morgan Chase, Key Bank, LaSalle Business Credit, Morgan Stanley, PNC Business Credit, Silicon Valley Bank, The National Bank of Canada, Transamerica, Wachovia, and Wells Fargo.

Mr. Thomas’s experiences bring a unique element to his practice of law. His experiences allow him to apply proven and sound legal and business fundamentals to help you effectively organize, manage, and run your business operations and life. Mr. Thomas can help you by advising on the selection and formation of the proper legal entity that best fits your company; help you obtain and maintain federal and South Carolina alcohol licensure; help your company receive economic development incentives, and draft, review, and negotiate favorable contracts, all of which can help you mitigate the risk exposures for your business and maximize your earnings and tax savings.

Mr. Thomas also realizes that life has its ups and downs and business and personal demands can sometimes distract you from properly assuring your loved ones are properly provided for. For that very reason, Mr. Thomas applies the same sound legal and business fundamentals to his estate planning practice. Sample services include: The preparation of wills, trusts, power of attorneys, and advance directives to help make sure you can rest easily when your busy day at the office is over. Armed with the knowledge that Mr. Thomas has helped you wisely set up and effectively handle the day to day activities of your business, you can go home and spend time with your family and relax knowing they are properly provided for through your personally tailored estate plan.

Atlas Organics

Gary first entered the recycling industry as a student employee for Clemson University Recycling Services. After learning about the composting program that was experiencing trouble getting off the ground, he asked the leaders at Clemson facilities if he could take over management of the program. Under his leadership, the program grew and eventually won the Carolina Recycling Association’s Outstanding Organics Recycling Program for 2013. After leaving Clemson, Gary spent a year working for Vision Recycling in the San Francisco Bay Area. There he helped manage seven organics recycling facilities that processed approximately 120,000 tons of organics per year. Since then he cofounded Atlas Organics, a vertically integrated food waste recycling and composting company. Gary has a Bachelors of Science in Environmental and Natural Resource Economics and a Masters of Science in Applied Economics and Statistics from Clemson University.

Growing Green Family Farms

Nathan Vannette is President and co-owner with Chris Ostlund of Growing Green Family Farms. Their farm utilizes innovative vertical hydroponic growing methods to raise fresh produce such as micro greens, heirloom lettuces, baby greens, and fresh herbs year-round for the Upstate Carolina community. In all, Nathan has 8 years of experience in the agriculture industry and extensive experience in nutritional management, intensive crop rotation programs, and controlled environment agriculture programs. Nathan pursued a degree in business to provide a good understanding of how a business operates, which has greatly aided in the success of Growing Green Family Farms.

The inspiration for Nathan to become an entrepreneur stemmed early in his life through home education, which enabled him to explore his interests. By the age of 10, Nathan started his first vegetable garden, paving the way for future experiments that eventually lead to the beginning of Growing Green Family Farms in 2012 in Michigan. By 2014, Growing Green Family Farms had expanded to the point where additional help was needed and Chris Ostlund (Nathan’s brother-in-law) joined as co-owner. Working as a partnership enabled the business to expand quickly helping to meet the growing demand for fresh local produce at local food hubs, educational institutes including the Culinary Institute of Michigan, and farmers markets.

In September of 2015, Nathan and Chris moved to Anderson, South Carolina with their families to escape the harsh winters of Michigan and began the process of establishing Growing Green Family Farms in the Upstate. Since then, they have obtained key certifications including Certified South Carolina Grown, Certified Naturally Grown, and are in the process of getting GAP certified. The 2016 growing season looks promising for Nathan and his business partner as they continue to do market penetration and expand their business to accommodate the growing demand for fresh locally grown produce in Upstate South Carolina. They are very excited to connect with local businesses and institutions to provide the highest quality produce on the market and to develop lasting relationships within the community. In addition to expanding in an indoor growing environment, there is great opportunity to expand using spray-free farming methods outside. With 5 acres owned in Anderson they hope to experiment with growing hops for local breweries as well as other artisan vegetable and fruit crops.

Shawn Jadrinicek

Shawn Jadrnicek is the author of The Bio-Integrated Farm: A Revolutionary Permaculture-Based System Using Greenhouses, Ponds, Compost Piles, Aquaponics, Chickens, and More. He has nourished his interest in sustainability through work as an organic farmer, nursery grower, extension agent, arborist, and landscaper, and now as the manager of Clemson University’s Student Organic Farm.

A MESHSC EVENT

What is MESH?

MESH stands for Manufacturing Engineering Sustainability andHealth. It represents an ecosystem of industrial progress through the MESHing of Four fundamental components of economic progress for South Carolina. The continual building of a strong sustainable, manufacturing, and health-based industrial base through educational, environmental and technological advancements.